USA > Kentucky > Henderson County > History of Henderson County, Kentucky > Part 75
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the end of the term, was re-elected without opposition. Mr. Powell is an uncompromising Democrat, and has done his party great service in the past. As a stump speaker, he ranks with the best in the State, and, as a"successful canvasser, is matchless. He has never known defeat, and, notwithstanding the frequent unpopular duties he is necessarily compelled to perform as Commonwealth Attorney, he is to-day more popular with the masses than when first elected. This is all owing to the purity and sincerity of the man. There is no guile about him-he is simply a plain, straight forward, out-spoken, honest, intelligent man and friend, and for that reason his constituency will stand by him almost to a man. He is a candidate to succeed the present member of Congress from this, the Second District, and I feel no hesitancy in predicting his election by a large majority. Mr. Pow- ell is both a Mason and Odd Fellow, but has never attached him. self to any church.
JOHN HENRY BARRET, a native of Louisa County, Virginia, was born on the fourth day of February, 1818. His father, Peter Straghan Barret, and his mother, Matilda (Winston) Barret, were born in Louisa County. His paternal grandfather, John Barret, and maternal grandfather, Henry Pendleton, were both natives of Vir- ginia, and both died and were buried in that State. John H. Barret was educated from the country schools of his native county. His father was a farmer and required his son to plow furrow by furrow, alongside others more muscular than himself, and this he did year in and year out. Another innocent amusement afforded him on the farm, was that of ox driving, one thing of all others calculated to make a boy forget his Sunday school dialect and indulge in the conventional talk of the more advanced student of oxology. However, in every calling he was at home in energy, thougthfulness and sound judgment. At the age of seventeen years, he left his parental home and set out for Kentucky to join his brother, Alexander, who had preceded him just two years In December, 1835, Mr. Barret landed in Henderson and immediately accepted a position in the employ of his brother, who was largely engaged in the purchase and stemming of tobacco and general merchandising. Our subject applied himself diligently to the work assigned him, and this, coupled with a keen, quick perception of matters pertaining to the trade, soon made him a most valuable assistant to his brother. Four years after his arrival in Henderson County, to wit : December, 1839, Mr. Barret was joined in marriage with Miss Susan D. Rankin, whom the writer loves to remember for her even-tempered and affectionate disposition, her strong, good
Eny A & Pisby Humer Lee & Co. N.Y
Johur A. 1 Parrot
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
sense, active benevolence and earnest piety. There are three living children, the result of this union, John H., James R. and Susan. John H. married Miss Henrietta Offutt, of Shelby County, and has two children, Mary and Augusta ; Mary married Dr. James Heddins, of St. Joseph, Missouri ; James R. married Miss Lucie Frances Stites, and has two children, Henry P. and Susie R. ; Susan married James E. Rankin, and has two children, Susie and James Ewing. Shortly after marriage, Mr. Barret severed his connection with his brother and formed a copartnership with his brother-in-law, James E. Rankin, under the firm name of Rankin & Barret, and, with him, continued in the dry goods business to 1851, eleven years, when, by mutual consent, the firm was dissolved. During the year 1851, Mrs. Barret died, leaving a grief stricken husband and three small children. In 1852 Mr. Barret accepted a proffered partnership with his elder brother, in the tobacco business, and was actively engaged with him to the day of his death, in 1861. On the fourteenth day of September, 1852, our subject married, at Smithland, Ky., his second wife, Miss Mary Augusta Had dock,a most estimable Christian lady, who, during their thirty-six years of married life, has proven herself a loving wife, devoted to his comfort and happiness. By this marriage, four children were born, three died in infancy ; little Mary, the youngest of them all, died at the age of eight years, and, in her death, the sunshine of the household was laid away deep in the mists of sorrow that knows no ending.
Alexander B. Barret, the elder brother, at his death, left an estate aggregating between three and four millions of dollars, the largest estate known to the record books of Kentucky. This immense property consisted of lands in various parts of the United States, stocks, bonds, notes, partnerships, unsettled accounts, and heredita ments of every conceivable character. By the terms of his testa- mentary will, John H. Barret, our subject, was made executor, and the entire estate unreservedly intrusted to his hands without security, a monument to his fidelity and high integrity of character that the world can never destroy. Seven years were given by the will in which to settle this enormous estate. Ten years have been consumed by eminent financiers in settling much smaller ones, yet, at the end of five years, the estate was settled to the last cent, the hundreds of legacies paid off, accounts settled, the books balanced and the estate divided without a jar. To his quick and clear perception, his retentive memory, his sound, unerring judgment, is due this-one among the most brilliant and successful financial and business achiev- ments known to the business world.
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
The death of Alexander B. Barrett, while it naturally destroyed the partnership between himself and his brother, nevertheless did not put a stop to the great stemming interest carried on prior to that untimely event. The subject of this sketch continued doing business as surviving partner, and, as his sons arrived at majority, each one was given an interest and associated with him-first, John H., Jr., then James R., and, upon the marriage of his daughter to James F. Rankin, he, too, was associated in the firm, for several years past known as John H. Barret & Co., and composed of John H. Barret, John H. Barret, Jr., James R. Barret and James E. Rankin. While our subject of late years has withdrawn from active participancy in the details of the business, he is, nevertheless, the acknowledged head, and his advice and wise counsel is sought and acted upon in all matters affecting the partnership. During the building of the Evansville, Henderson & Nashville Railroad, Mr. Barret was a member of the Board of Directors, and was at all times active in assisting to its early com- pletion. The City of Henderson subscribed three hundred thousand dollars of her bonds to aid in the work, and, by a unanimous vote of the City Council, those bonds were directed to be placed in the hands of John H. Barret as custodian without security. Thus, it will be seen, in what high esteem he was held by the legislative branch of his city. The first locomotive-known as the "Pony," and yet in use in the depot yards at Henderson-was purchased by Mr. Barret of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, and paid for out of his own
private means. Soon after being appointed custodian of the city's bonds, he was directed to dispose of the same by sale, or otherwise, and report his acts. He went East, and, although money matters were tight at the time, succeeded in negotiating a sale of a number of them, while a great number were taken by home capitalists. A press of private business required him to relinquish the trust, which he did before all of the bonds had been sold. Mr. Barret served as Director up to the sale of the road to the Louisville & Nashville Company. He manifested, by his works and means, an active interest in the organization of a National Bank, and, as a result, the First National was organized November, 1865, and commenced business January 1st, 1866, on a capital of one hundred thousand dollars; increased September 20th, 1870, to one hundred and seventy thousand, and on July 2d, 1872, to two hundred thousand. He was one of the origina- tors of and largest stockholders in the second telegraph line connecting Henderson and Evansville. It was mainly through his instrumentality that Henderson now claims one of the largest and most complete
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woollen mills in the West, the largest cotton mill in the State, and one of the largest in the South. But for the liberality and far seeing capacity of our subject, the writer verily believes that neither of these grand manufacturies would to-day be standing and operated in Hen- derson. Mr. Barret holds fifteen thousand dollars stock in the cotton mill and five thousand in the woollen mill. In addition to his very large stock and bonded interests, he is the owner of seven hundred acres of valuable river bottom lands, lying between the City of Hen- derson and the City of Evansville, on the Ohio River ; one thousand and thirty-three acres of hill lands, all of which, with the exception of his Tom Lockett place, he causes to be cultivated in his own name and behalf. He is a large grower of corn, wheat, grass and stock. In the Counties of Hopkins and Breckenridge, Kentucky, and in the County of Delta, Texas, he is the owner of lands aggregating four thousand and eight hundred and fifty acres. A great part of his Texas lands he causes to be cultivated in cotton and corn, and, in addition, is largely engaged in stock raising.
Recently, in connection with his sons, under the firm name of John H. Barret & Co., he has had erected in the Town of Uniontown, Union County, a large and commodious tobacco stemmery, of seven hundred hogshead capacity annually, and will this winter at that point enter largely into the purchase and handling of tobacco. He is largely interested in stemming at Owensboro, having associated with himself, John W. Matthews, formerly of Henderson. His stemmery at Owensboro is one of the largest in that city, and the firm one among the heaviest buyers. Mr. Barret is a very large holder of tobacco in European warehouses, and his immense capital and credit gives him all the advantages to be gained by holding on a low market when very many others are forced to sell.
In politics Mr. Barret was a Whig during the days of that party, but since the war has affiliated with the Democratic party. In relig- ious pursuasion he was raised a Christian or Reformer, and, while never uniting with the church in membership, he feels a deep and abiding interest in its 'welfare, and is among its most liberal monied supporters. To use a common expression, he is by no means " hide- bound ;" contrarily, he gives liberally when solicited to all denomina- tions and charities. For very many years he has been a member of the Masonic order, but seldom attends the lodge.
Mr. Barret was never in his life an office seeker, or politician, and so far as the writer is informed, was never a candidate for an office. He was once elected-and then against his will-to the office of
49
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
City Councilman from his ward, and, but for the urgent solicitation of his friends, would have declined to serve. He did serve, however, and, as in all business acts of his life, made a most excellent Council- man. Mr. Barret is a man of unflinching rectitude, never swerving from what he deems right, either in public or private life, and, while not a professed Christian, is yet too good, too true, to pass the golden gates unnoticed. There is no place in his heart for the narrowness of bigotry or intolerance ; his genial, attractive qualities forbid it and make him friends wherever he may go. He is a man of warm attach- ments, giving graciously and unreservedly to all charities and in places where the world knows nothing of. He never lets his right hand know what his left doeth-all his good works are sacred with himself and the recipients of his bounty. When he dies, grateful hearts will weep, while the business world, and Henderson, particularly, will sadly miss him.
WILLIAM SOAPER was born in Loudon County, Virginia, April 28th, 1795, and received his education from the ordinary schools of that State and Maryland, where he removed some years subsequent to his birth. During the year 1820, with limited means, Mr. Soaper came West and settled in Henderson. For several years he engaged in the saddlery business, frequently traveling through the country, but subsequently entered into partnership with Judge Thomas Towles, and engaged in the purchase and stemming of tobacco. This partner- ship continued for a number of years when, by mutual consent, it was dissolved. His business life was one marked by success, and the star of fortune clung to him even to the day of his death. His entire business life was characterized by an honesty of purpose, and strict integrity that won him the confidence of the entire community. While he claimed and demanded all that was due him, he held himself ready at all times to do unto his neighbor as he would be done by. In matters of charity, he was liberal, and his benefactions by no means few, or infrequent, were distributed with a cheerful, frank spirit, that was characteristic of his noble manhood. Freely and unostentatiously he gave of his means, without letting those nearest to him know of it. His charity was not for the applause of the world, but was the natural flow of a warm and sympathising heart. On the second day of November, 1830, ne married Miss Susan Fannie Henderson, Rev. Thomas Evans officiating. Miss Henderson was born on the ninth day of May, 1813, upon what was, and is yet, known as the Bluff, a few miles below the city. Her father, Richard Henderson, was a nephew of Richard Henderson, for whom the County and City of
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Henderson were named. He married in North Carolina on the twenty- ixth day of March, 1807, Miss Annie Alves, and came to Henderson in 1812. Mrs. Soaper was baptized in infancy by Rev. Daniel Com- fort, of the Presbyterian Church, and became a member of the Epis- copal Church in 1835, at the age of twenty-two years. During her entire church life, she has proven a devoted Christian and fondly at- tached to her church. Mr. and Mrs. Soaper have had born unto them twelve children, ten of whom are living-Elizabeth, Richard Hender- son, Thomas, William, Mariana, Catharine, Harry, Robert, Maria and Susan.
ELIZABETH married L. C. Dallam, President of the Henderson National Bank, January 17th, 1855. They have five children, Susan, Clarence, Charlie, Elizabeth and Sallie; Susan married Hon. Henry C. Burnett, of Paducah, and they have two children, Marie and Elizabeth.
THOMAS married Miss Cora Cook, October 23d, 1862; they have two children, Elizabeth and Susan.
MARIANA married Stephen K. Sneed, Vice President and Cashier of the Henderson National Bank, May 10th, 1871; they have six children, Susan, Lucy, Catharine, Mariana, William and Stephen
WILLIAM married Miss Sophy Turner, January 17th, 1872; they have three children, Henry Turner, Susan Soaper and Lucile.
ROBERT married Miss Annie E. Pringle, November 18th, 1873 ; they have four children, Jane, Willie, Annie and Frances.
CATHARINE married Malcom Caruthers, of Chicago, October 20th, 1875; they have two children, Elizabeth and Frances.
MARIA married A. M. Gazlay, of Louisville, now of Chicago, May 10th, 1876; they have one child, William Soaper.
SUSAN married Hayden M. Young, of Louisville, now of Kansas City, Mo., January 29th, 1884; they have no children.
Richard H. and Harry are unmarried.
Mr. William Soaper, subject of this sketch, after having lived a most successful business life, died January 3d, 1881, leaving a very large estate. Mr. Soaper was for many years an active Mason, being a member of the Blue Lodge and Chapter. Although for many years a regular attendant upon church worship, he was never a member.
RICHARD. HENDERSON SOAPER, named for his maternal grandfather, Richard Henderson, who was a nephew of Richard Hen- derson, President of the Henderson Grant Company, was born in Henderson County on the seventh day of February, 1836, and is the eldest son of William Soaper and Susan Fannie Henderson. He was
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HISTORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY, KY.
educated from the very best private schools of Henderson, Shelby College, Shelbyville, Ky., and, during the years 1854 and '55, was a student at Kenyon College, Ohio. No means were spared by his father to give him a first-class collegiate education. Upon his return from college, Mr. Soaper was given a position in his father's tobacco stemmery, and, in the course of a few years, mastered the art of hand- ling the weed and was given a partnership. This partnership contin- ued up to his father's death in 1881. Since that time, in connection with his brother, the stemming business has been carried on as before. In 1868 Mr. Soaper caused to be built in the town of Uniontown, Union County, a handsome, finely arranged tobacco stemmery with a capacity of handling five hundred hogsheads annually. This, with his Henderson house, he has operated year by year, buying, receiving and shipping large quantities of the staple of this section of the country. In addition to his large tobacco interest in this country and Europe, he is the owner of four hundred and eighty-eight acres of the best river bottom land of Henderson County, land noted for its great pro- ductiveness of both corn and tobacco. His annual crops are large, and so well systematized are all of his farming plans, that nothing but an overflow or unprecedented drouth can keep him from reaping a handsome income year after year.
William Soaper, the father of the subject of this sketch, died possessed of a large and varied estate, and, upon his death, our sub- ject qualified as executor of the will. The will included lands, houses and lots, monies, bonds, stocks, and other posessions, to be divided among nine devisees. The difficulty of the undertaking can be seen at a glance, yet Mr. Soaper settled this great estate without a murmur from anyone, and strange to say without a lawsuit. This, then, goes to show that he is notably one of the most successful business men of the times. His career has been characterized by great energy, pru- dence and liberality, controlled by a superior judgment and marked throughout by undoubted integrity. Mr. Soaper has traveled over the principal part of the United States and Canada, and, during the sum- mer of 1865, spent his time in Europe on business and sight-seeing. He loves his friends, has a big warm heart, enjoys social life to its highest degree, but has never married. There isn't a time- keeper in the city that is more regular in telling the hours, than he is in his habits. Thoroughly domestic, he varies perhaps not ex- ceeding five minutes in an entire week, in passing to and from his office to his boarding house. He is strictly a business man and a remarkably successful one. Mr. Soaper was raised a Whig,
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and since the downfall of that party, has never recognized the claims of any particular political organization. In religious faith he was raised an Episcopalian, but seldom attends any church. He has no fancy for office. holding, and wouldn't accept one if tendered him by the unanimous voice of the people. He was never a member of any lodge, he dispenses his charities with his own liberal hand, but unostentatiously, telling no one, but keeping his good works sacredly to himself. No better man than Richard Henderson Soaper lives.
THOMAS SOAPER is the second son of William Soaper and Susan Fannie Henderson. and was born on the twentieth day of Jan- uary, 1838. As in the case of his elder brother, he was given every ad- vantage of an education that wealth could afford. He was sent to the best private schools, and, in 1854 and a part of 1855, was a student at Kenyon College, Ohio. In 1855 he entered Hanover College, Indiana, and remained there throughout 1856. Shortly after his re- turn home from college, he entered the dry goods store of L. C. Dal- lam, and, in the year 1859, purchased an interest, became a partner, and engaged in business under the old and well-known firm name of Dallam & Soaper, the senior member being his brother-in-law, Mr. L. C. Dallam. On the twenty-third day of October, 1862, Mr. Soaper married Miss Cora Cook, daughter of Dr. John B. Cook, founder of the Henderson and McDowell Medical Societies. Unto them two chil- dren have been born, Bettie Cook and Sudie Henderson, two charm- ing young ladies and universal society favorites Mrs. Soaper is a lady of many fascinating domestic and social qualities, and a devoted help-mate to her husband. At the beginning of 1875, after a pleasant and lucrative partnership of sixteen years, Mr. Soaper purchased the interest of his partner, Mr. L. C. Dallam, and, from that time to this, the business of the old house has been conducted under the name of Thomas Soaper.
Our subject has been one of Henderson's most successful mer- chants, from the fact he never jests, never exaggerates, always sincere and honest, and whatever his convictions in any line of life, he carries them out without reference to the world. On no serious subject has he any half-formed notions. In his friendship, he is exceedingly warm, yet not demonstrative ; in domestic relations, gentle and tender, a genial companion, a devoted father and husband. He grew up in the Episcopal Church faith, and, in 1860, was confirmed by the Bishop. For thirty years he has been a member of the church vestry, has served as Treasurer for a number of years, has served as Junior and Senior
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Warden and is the Senior Warden of the church at this writing. He has represented his church a number of times in the General Conven- tion of the Diocese, and, throughout his entire church life, has been one of the foremost in all matters of interest to the congregation and parish. For many years he filled the position of Superintendent of the Sunday School. In 1879 he was elected President of the Henderson Mining and Manufacturing Company, and has continued as such to this day. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Henderson National Bank, one of the strongest monied institutions in the city. He is a member of the Masonic order, and in politics a Democrat. In addition to his large interest in the city, including a handsome resi- dence he is the owner of one hundred and ninety-one acres of the finest Henderson County river bottom lands, which he operates through employes under the direction of a competent superintendent or overseer. His crops are usually good and bring him a handsome in- come.
WILLIAM SOAPER, JR .- The subject of this sketch, who bears the honored name of his father, is the third son of William Soaper and Susan Fannie Henderson, and, as in the case of his elder broth- ers, was given a collegiate education. He received his early training at the best schools of Henderson, and entered Union College, Schen- ectady, New York, where he would have graduated in 1864, but for the interference of the War of the Rebellion. William Soaper was born in Henderson County, on the tenth day of April, 1843, and in his forin and build is the exact counterpart of his father, when at his age in life. Returning home from college Mr. Soaper engaged himself with his father and brother Richard, in the tobacco stemming business, ap- plying himself with an earnestness, that in a few years placed him in the front rank of stemming men. He was given an interest in the business, and since his father's death has been associated in the same line with his brother Richard. On the seventeenth day of January, 1872, he was married to Miss Sophy Turner, a highly accomplished daughter of Judge Henry F. Turner, of Henderson. As a result of that union, three children were born, Henry Turner, Susan Soaper, Lucile, all bright, promising children. Never a cloud of pain or sor- row hovered over his happy household, until October 21st, 1883, when the angel of death laid his cold hands upon the devoted wife, and car- ried her away to Heaven, leaving a disconsolate husband and children.
In 1883 Mr. Soaper manifested an active interest in the organ- ization of the gravel road companies of this county, and to show his faith, subscribed liberally to the stock of the Henderson and Zion, and
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Corydon and Geneva.companies. He has served a term as President of the Henderson, Corydon and Geneva Company, and is now Pres- ident of the Henderson and Zion Company. For several years he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Henderson Fair Company, and the writer can say that no officer of the association was more ac- tive, faithful and deeply interested in the work before him. He is a member of the Masonic order in high standing, having presided as Master, High Priest and Eminent Commander, and had he urged him- self as many have done, he would have presided before this over the Grand Lodge of the State. Mr. Soaper is a half-owner of the Hender- son Hominy Mill, one of the largest manufactories of hominy, gritz &c., in the West, and is doing a daily business commensurate with its great capacity and yet unable to supply all of its orders. His partner, W. W. Shelby, manages the mill while he gives the bulk of his time to his tobacco interest. In addition to what we have mentioned, our subject is the own r of a magnificent Henderson County river bot- tom farm of two hundred and forty acres, growing annually thousands of bushels of corn.
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